Beer Bottles and Bonfires
by StardustRubies
Summary: A group of diverse boys somehow find each other, heal each other, and become a dysfunctional family. Which means protecting each other at all costs, from bullies, creepy men, suspicious parents, and even gas masks, bloody dogs, and Furnace.
1. Sunrise

**I do not own the Lockdown series or its characters.**

A/N: Characters might seem OOC, and there might be hints of yaoi.

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Chapter 1: Sunrise.

Alex awoke with another rough start, falling out of bed as the neighbor's dog howled, a headache forming along his temples. Insomnia was apparent beneath his dull eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to curl up on his bed and sleep the weekend away. He guessed he had a few moments before his mother would be pounding on the door demanding he join the family for breakfast, so he took the time to mentally prepare for tonight's trip. They would visit the Donovan house; Toby had heard at school that the family was currently vacationing in Florida the next few days.

Alex and Toby.

Robbing yet another house of yet another innocent family.

What a great team we make, Alex thought bitterly, rolling over and groaning as he felt the pain vibrate in his leg. It was twisted from Tuesday, when they had almost been caught breaking and entering.

Alex's stomach began to turn, but he excused it as hunger, and began his trot down the stairs.

"Hi, mom," He called cheerfully, brushing past her on the steps.

"Well, you're up early, Alex," She commented, raising her eyebrows.

The boy shrugged it off, glancing at the clock. 7:13 A.M.; it _was_ a bit earlier than his normal 10:00 schedule.

"I'm going to Toby's later!" He yelled as his mom disappeared around the corner, barely hearing her "yeah" in reply.

Alex sighed, searching through the cabinets for something to eat. He settled on cereal, but as he plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV, he decided that he wasn't really hungry. Drinking the milk from the bowl and leaving the cereal, he gave the TV his attention. A superhero flew past the screen, the man that Alex had always wanted to be as a boy, and shot lasers at the villain.

Alex found himself strangely captivated by the show, however pathetic that would seem to his peers. Looking at it from a metaphorical stand point, it was probably because the hero remained pure even after being surrounded by evil.

With a disgusted feeling, undoubtedly originating from guilt, he threw the remote, causing the television to click off.

It was merely 8:00, and Alex has the feeling that today would be a _very_ slow day.

.

It wasn't, in the end.

After Alex had wandered around outside with a stick, randomly poking things, it became sunset, and also time to head to Toby's. If Alex was honest, he'd say that he, in reality, disliked Toby. But then again, Alex had a penchant for lying and Toby was a source for money.

With a final sigh, Alex trudged up the crooked steps leading to Toby's door, and gave a single, firm knock. This was business, and Alex couldn't forget that.

"Hey, Alex! Sup?" Toby swung open the door with a cheesy grin on his face, causing Alex to roll his eyes.

"Are you ready, Toby?" Alex asked, skipping the chatter.

"Oh, um… yeah, wait a sec." He disappeared inside the house and returned a minute later with a jacket. The sky was darkening by now, the sun fading just like Alex's doubts.

It was time.

They walked slowly to the Donovan house, not wanting to cause suspicion.

"Yo, I heard the Donovans are loaded. We should be coming up on it soon."

Alex nodded, closing his eyes and making sure he really _was_ ready; he had to be.

"We're here~" Toby ran up the steps and checked in the windows; no one was there. "And safe. Let's go in." He jogged to the back of the house, it was always the least wary entrance. Oddly enough, the window was cracked as if to prove that.

"Looks like this trip'll be easy." Tony smirked.

Keeping his guard, Alex pushed the window and squirmed inside, attempting to not make any noise, his efforts ruined by an impatient Toby following me. In the middle of his clumsy entrance, he stumbled over a table, knocking everything atop it down. Alex literally face palmed.

"Toby!" Alex hissed, "Be quiet!"

It was then, over the sound of Toby laughing carelessly, that Alex heard a chilling raspy voice call out, "Who's there?"


	2. Beginnings

**A/N: ASJDXNODKLA. I am so awful at writing, what is this. Buut- this is for Dallas. ^_^ Warnings! Some cursing, and OOC characters LOL. **

My mind registered several things in one spiraling moment. One: Toby was still on the ground laughing, when the idiot should have been running. Two: There were footsteps and voices approaching us. Three: I must be an idiot too, because I wasn't running, either.

I kicked the boy beside me in panic, hissing, "Hide!" Toby must have finally understood the situation; he dove behind the couch as I scrambled into a nearby closet.

Suddenly, I heard rumbling laughter, followed by a considerably higher pitched taunt.

"Are we playing hide and seek now?" with a chorus of chuckles and giggles.

I swallowed deeply, as if something (with the metallic taste of fear, I noted) was stuck in my throat.

"Dammit!" Toby roared, and I knew he had been found out, panic rising in my chest again. A series of complaints such as "Ow!" and "Quit it!" were heard through the door, accompanied by snickering.

"You're really awful at this game," the more childish voice stated, almost sounding bored.

"What's your name, kid?" the deeper voice asked, more cheerful than the other. This exchange was followed by some shuffling, and Toby whimpering out his name.

_What are they doing?, _I thought, grimacing.

"So, Toby, where's your friend?"

_Oh no, Toby will sell me out without a second thought. _

"C-closet." I heard a voice choke out.

Damn.

"Hello, little boy~" The door creaked open and two teenage boys appeared, one significantly smaller than the other.

I screamed in fright, which only made them laugh even harder.

"Yo, calm down." The tall one smiled, "We won't hurt you. What are you doing here anyway? Did you here about the party?-" the other boy giggled again. "Haha, you must be hungry, man. You look it, and it's late. Why not stay the night?"

I widened my eyes at his hospitality, a little shocked, considering Toby and I were planning on robbing their house.

"Heads up," The tall boy tossed a bag of chips at me. "By the way, I'm Donovan, that's my buddy, Zee."

I caught it, but couldn't help but feel suspicious. There was no way Donovan was this nice. No one was.

"Let's play some Super Mario Brothers, hmm?" He suggested, leading Zee and Toby upstairs. When I didn't follow, he poked his head around the corner. "Hey, are you coming?" he waved me forward with a grin, and I complied, with a hesitant smile in return.

That smile, it was so strange, but it felt like there was almost an _understanding_ between us in that moment.

That smile…

That was how I met Carl Donovan.


End file.
